rawford bit her lip.

"What is the object of your coming? Does Carl wish to return?"

"I thought Dr. Crawford might have told you."

"Carl wants his clothes sent to him," said the doctor. "He only carried
a few with him."

"I shall not consent to it. He deserves no favors at our hands."

This was too much even for Dr. Crawford.

"You go too far, Mrs. Crawford," he said. "I am sensible of the boy's
faults, but I certainly will not allow his clothes to be withheld from
him."

"Oh, well! spoil him if you choose!" said the lady, sullenly. "Take his
part against your wife!"

"I have never done that, but I will not allow him to be defrauded of his
clothes."

"I have no more to say," said Mrs. Crawford, her eyes snapping. She was
clearly mortified at her failure to carry her point.

"Do you wish the trunk to be sent to your house?" asked the doctor.

"Yes, sir; I have packed the clothes and locked the trunk."

"I should like to examine it before it goes," put in Mrs. Crawford,
spitefully.

"Why?"

"To make sure that nothing has been put in that does not belong to
Carl."

"Do you mean to accuse me of stealing, madam?" demanded Gilbert,
indignantly.

Mrs. Crawford tossed her head.

"I don't know anything about you," she replied.

"Dr. Crawford, am I to open the trunk?" asked Gilbert.

"No," answered the doctor, with unwonted decision.

"I hate that boy! He has twice subjected me to mortification," thought
Mrs. Crawford.

"You know very well," she said, turning to her husband, "that I have
grounds for my request. I blush to mention it, but I have reason to
believe that your son took a wallet containing twenty-five dollars from
my bureau drawer."

"I deny it!" said Gilbert.

"What do you know about it, I should like to ask?" sneered Mrs.
Crawford.

"I know that Carl is an honorable boy, incapable of theft, and at this
moment has but thirty-seven cents in his possession."

"So far as you know."

"If the money has really disappeared, madam, you had better ask your own
boy about it."

"This is insufferable!" exclaimed Mrs. Crawford, her light eyes emitting
angry flashes. "Who dares to say that Peter took the wallet?" she went
on, rising to her feet.

There was an unexpected reply. Jane entered the room at this moment to
ask a question.

"I say so, ma'am," she rejoined.

"What?" ejaculated Mrs. Crawford, with startling emphasis.

"I didn't mean to say anything about it till I found you were